Just as Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has moved to mend ties with China, another point of tension has emerged in the relationship after the Chinese embassy complained about an Australian official's meeting with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen.

It showed a photograph of a smiling Mr Cowan, who took the position in Taipei in January, receiving a bottle of single malt whisky from the Taiwanese leader, before discussing "peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific".

This formal introduction would be unremarkable except that Australia, like most countries, has not officially recognised Taiwan since the early 1970s and has a representative office rather than an embassy in Taipei.

A spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry told The Australian Financial Review: "Sticking to the one-China policy is a precondition and foundation for any country to develop a diplomatic relationship with China and this is widely accepted by the international community.

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"The countries with diplomatic relations with China can only maintain unofficial business and trade ties with Taiwan," the spokesperson said in a written response to questions. We would urge related countries to abide by the one-China policy and take a cautious approach in handling Taiwan issues."

Issue raised in Canberra

It is understood the issue was raised in Canberra with officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Beijing still regards Taiwan, a self-governed island of more than 23 million people as a renegade province that will return to the fold some day and few countries are prepared to upset the world's second-biggest economy by challenging its position.

"Australia did send a signal by tweeting that picture about our relationship with Taiwan and our capacity to engage with Taipei both warmly and in a calculation of our national interest," said Mark Harrison, senior lecturer in Chinese Studies at the University of Tasmania.

"Australia has a long-standing effective relationship with Taiwan framed by the one-China policy. It is reasonable for Australia to engage with Taiwan in order to sustain and support the relationship."

Beijing has been further riled by the recent appointment of China hawks Mike Pompeo and John Bolton, as Secretary of State and National Security Adviser. It has been suggested Mr Bolton might travel to Taipei next month for the opening of the new US representative office.

The US Congress recently passed the Taiwan Travel Act, which urges high-level visits between the US and Taiwan.

China has also moved actively, since Ms Tsai and her independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party came to power in 2016, to pick off Taipei's remaining international partners. Beijing has established formal relations with four of Taipei's partners, including the Dominican Republic, Gambia, Sao Tome and Principe and Panama. The diplomatic drive ended a decade-long truce that coincided with warmer cross-strait relations between China's Communist Party and Taiwan's former ruling Kuomintang (KMT) Party.

There is speculation that China will next target the Pacific where Taipei has formal ties with six countries and China is funding a raft of infrastructure projects. Speculation has also focused on the Vatican – Taipei's only remaining partner in Europe.

In a bid to shore up Taiwan's dwindling international support, this week Ms Tsai hosted Solomon Islands Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela and Nauru President Baron Waqa in Taipei.